SCOPE OF DRAMA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21379, 23 June 1939, Page 13

SCOPE OF DRAMA

Monthly Presentations Suggested Special Committee Appointed Representatives of the ilmaru Readers, the W.E.A., St. Mary’s, Orari Readers, Catholic Club, Thespians, Y.M.C.A., Junior Readers and the St. Andrews Community Drama Clubs were present at a well-attended meeting of the South Canterbury Drama League last night to discuss the question of widening the scope of their activities in connection with drama. The meeting appointed a special committee to carry out proposals outlined by the president, Dr. W. H. Unwin, and to arrange a monthly presentation of one-act plays and to foster the work of those drama clubs which did not compete in the League’s annual festival. Cultural Centre Mr A. E. Lawrence, who acted as chairman, expressed gratification on behalf of the Drama League Executive at the representative gathering present, and also took the opportunity to welcome Dr. Unwin after his tour abroad. Dr. Unwin intimated that the object of the meeting was to endeavour to do more than concentrate on the one intensive festival as had happened last year. For some years they had had a repertory section which had read, and, in some cases, acted plays. However, the repertory section had not succeeded as well as had been hoped, and the repertory committee felt that it might work better if it were looked after by the Drama League itself. Last year it had not done very much, but there were a considerable number of people who were anxious that something should be done to organise drama at certain stated periods, and that they should try to get the various circles together so that they could take part in these plays. Seven of the Drama League members had advanced the money with the idea of securing the Little Playhouse so that it would eventually become the home of drama in South Canterbury, continued Dr. Unwin, but that rosy vision had not quite come true. It was said that old men saw visions, but the time might come when the present building would be demolished to make place for a better equipped playhouse with a greater seating capacity. Such a building might become the home of the W.E.A. and possibly the headquarters of the Women’s Institutes and musical circles, so that it would be a sort of cultural centre for Timaru. The presentation of plays in the Little Playhouse regularly during the winter months would assist the Drama League financially and would make the realisation of that aim a possibility. Effect of Repertory The chairman recalled that the Repertory Committee, had on several occasions produced three-act plays. Generally speaking, the support had not been up to the standard which the public had given the drama festivals, although over the whole period there had been a slightly larger credit balance from the repertory productions. There was a danger of the formation of an organisation outside the control of the Drama League which would form a friendly opposition to community drama. In other centres repertory had had a detrimental effect as far as community drama was concerned. The Christchurch repertory group had practically extinguished the community drama, and at the last meeting of the National Council of the Drama League the resignation of the Christchurch community drama had been received. The same had occurred in Nelson, and in Wellington community drama was a very weak affair compared with the repertory activities. South Canterbury was the oldest, strongest and most successful community drama area, remarked Mr Lawrence, and the reason was the activities of the town and country fgroups, which worked almost independently on the controlling body. They were all members of the Drama League and they looked on its activities as their own business. Last year’s festival had been the most successful yet held. However, the Drama League Executive felt that the aim of the movement this year should be to try to provide facilities for drama for groups not actually associated with the festivals. The Catholic Club had four plays available for early presentation, and the St. Mary's Drama Club was also willing to present a play. If such presentations were arranged monthly it would provide activities for a great number of players not otherwise engaged and would also open the way for younger players who had not yet felt courageous enough or competent enough to take part in the main festival. They should aim to do everything possible to encourage the study, practice and presentation of drama both in town and country.

The matter was enthusiastically discussed by the meeting, and, on the motion of Messrs E. W. D. Unwin and C. W. Don. it was unanimously decided that a committee of four, including a member of the Drama League Executive, should be appointed to consider the question of presenting plays at monthly intervals. Messrs E. W. D. Unwin. C. W. Don and J. W. Rolleston were appointed as a committee with power to add, and the Drama League Executive was requested to appoint its own representative.